Fate Is A Fairy Tale
by go-sandy
Summary: When Ryan, Marissa, Summer and Seth all go to a cabin for vacation after college, tension is unbearable. Rymmer. [One Shot]


"Come on, Marissa! I need to pee," Seth whined from the backseat of the black Mercedes Benz.

"Yeah, Coop. For once I agree with Seth. It's getting really hot back here," Summer added, shifting her weight as far away from Seth as possible. Seth seemed to notice as he threw her an ungrateful smile.

"Give me a break guys," Marissa said, fiddling with the keys in the ignition. "It won't start up."

Ryan leaned over to her side of the car and brought his lips close to her ear.

"Let me help," he muttered quietly.

Marissa instantly turned her sharp glare to him. "Believe me," she started. "You've done enough."

Ryan sighed and sat back in his seat, pressing his head to the window. He toyed with the cabin keys in his hand, creating a constant jingling sound in the car.

Marissa tried to ignore the endless rattling of the keys in Ryan's hand, but the more she seemed to concentrate on getting the car to start, the noisier the keys seemed to be. Irritated, she flipped her body around and stationed her eyes on his hand, willing it to stop.

Ryan's eyes traveled from Marissa's stare to his hand, and eventually he got the hint, stuffing the keys into his pocket and placing his hands quietly onto his lap.

Seth and Summer watched all of this from the back seat, occasionally exchanging skeptical glances but mostly keeping their eyes on the silently bickering couple.

Seth tilted his body close to Summer's and whispered, "Sexual tension."

Summer looked at Seth with disgust and hissed, "Shut up, Cohen."

"It's not my fault those girls were desperate, Marissa," Ryan uttered quietly, trying to keep the conversation from Seth and Summer's prying ears.

"Ryan, those girls were all over you, and believe me, from where I stood, you didn't seem to mind," she shot back, still focusing on the car.

"God," he sighed, resting his head back on the seat. "Why is it always a fight with you?"

Marissa let go of the car keys and her eyes darted up at Ryan. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Ryan shook his head. "Nothing."

"Whatever," she murmured, looking back at the steering wheel.

For moments, the car seemed to grow silent, except for the inhaling and exhaling of the four adults.

Breaking the silence, Marissa groaned and threw her head back, pressing a hand to her head.

All eyes turned to her.

"We're out of gas."

Groans and sighs sounded throughout the car, but the first to react was Seth, getting out and running behind a tree. They watched as he hid his body behind the stem of the tree, but his head still poked out and was visible. His face expressions relaxed and he let out a sigh of relief, and they all cringed in disgust as they realized what had just happened.

"Well, maybe Ryan and you can go get us petrol from some station," Summer suggested, popping her head in-between the two front seats and looking alternately at Ryan and Marissa.

"We can't, the closest gas station is like, 30 minutes walking and I'm wearing heels."

"I thought I told you to fill it up," Ryan stated matter-of-factly, holding his head in his hands.

"Hey, don't blame this on me!" Marissa retorted.

Ryan snickered and shook his head, turning away, not willing to have this argument again.

"I don't mind the walk, me and Ryan can go get the petrol," Summer offered. "You up for it?" She turned her questioning eyes to Ryan who responded by getting out of the car and slamming the door behind him. "I guess that's a yes," she mumbled, looking back at Marissa. "Go easy on geek boy, he had a few drinks." She pointed at Seth and smirked before getting out of the car and running up to Ryan who had already begun the walk to the station.

"Hey, wait up!" Summer hollered at Ryan, still trying to catch up with him. "I'm wearing heels too, you know."

"You can go wait in the car, I'll get the petrol myself."

"And let you take all the credit? I don't think so." She grinned, stepping up next to Ryan. His face remained sullen and dead serious, making Summer sigh.

"I don't get it with you two, your either so into each other or you just can't stand being together," she stated, looking up at Ryan.

"I don't really want to talk about it," Ryan stated, his eyes fixed on the path infront of him.

Summer nodded and dropped her head, but she couldn't hold back. "She's a nice girl, you know. Marissa? I know you guys have had your ups and downs and that she's kind of… 'high standard/high maintenance' but she's… she's one of a kind."

Ryan nodded but didn't reply. Finally Summer gave it a break and changed the subject.

"So, it's nice to take a break, huh? College: hectic," she commented.

Ryan smirked. "Yeah… I can't believe we're actually 23."

"Hey, speak for yourself. I'm 22 and nine months," she said proudly, looking up at him and breaking into a fit of laughter. "It's kind of weird… responsibilities and what not…"

"Yeah," Ryan agreed. "But this should be fun."

"Me, you, Cohen and Marissa, in a cabin miles away from Newport all alone with TONS of junk food? Believe me; this is going to be heaven."

Ryan smiled. "So how's _your_ 'love life' going?"

"Non-existent."

"Really?"

Summer nodded.

"Seth is still into you, you know?"

"Uh yeah, I think the whole of California knows."

Ryan chuckled.

"Don't get me wrong, I mean, me and Seth kept in touch during college, but I'm not the same Summer Roberts I was when I fell in love with him. And really, it's like the more I mature, the more he becomes immature."

Ryan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he's still… a bit stuck in the past, I guess."

"Are you stuck in the past?"

He looked up at her confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean the whole Ryan and Marissa, super couple."

"It's not that… It's just… I love Marissa, but I still need my space and she doesn't really get that, you know?"

"Yeah… when Coop and I had just begun to be 'best friends' she'd always want to be with me and shop with me and study with me… I was young, so I enjoyed having someone to hang with, but when we turned 15 it just got to be a bit too much, we had a whole dispute about that, but eventually things worked out. Maybe you guys just have to discuss it?"

Ryan smirked sadly. "That's the thing. The more we talk about it, the more protective and jealous she becomes."

"Yeah well, don't try and pull romance advice out of me cause I'm 22 and single as ever," she stated, laughing at herself.

"You'll find the right person."

Summer nodded, looking back up at Ryan. "You will too."

Ryan smiled down at her. He noticed a neon light in the distance. He looked up and pointed in its direction. Summer saw what he was pointing at and nodded as they continued their walk towards it.

----

Seth and Marissa sat in the front seats of the car, awaiting Summer and Ryan's return.

Marissa's head rested on the seat and her eyes were shut as The Sex Pistols blared from the loudspeaker of Seth's MP3 player.

Seth bobbed his head to the music and tapped his fingers against his knee. He looked over at Marissa who hadn't spoken a thing since Ryan and Summer left for petrol.

"Good thing we like the same music," Seth stated, nodding his head at Marissa. Marissa didn't budge. He sighed. "Or else we'd be stuck here in awkward silence, eh?" He smiled widely, but Marissa's eyes remained closed. "So… you and Ryan…"

"Shut up, Seth."

"All righty then."

Once again the only thing connecting Seth and Marissa was the air they breathed and the music they heard, but finally Summer knocked on Seth's window. He sighed in relief as he rolled the window down.

"We got petrol and water for the car and Ding Dongs and water for us."

Marissa forced a smile. Meanwhile, Ryan filled up the car and checked everything under the hood.

Seth started to climb out of the car when Marissa grabbed his arm. "Stay," she ordered, releasing his arm. Seth looked up at Summer for reassurance who in turn nodded at him. Seth shrugged and sat back down comfortably in the passenger's seat.

Ryan was grateful as he entered the car and sat in the back seat, soon followed by Summer who didn't mind sitting close to Ryan as much as sitting close to Seth.

They drove to the cabin in silence, except for Summer telling Seth to shut the 'piece of crap' off, referring to his music. Seth of course, agreed without hesitation. As Marissa placed the car in park, everyone was relieved to release themselves from the tension-filled car and get some fresh air.

Ryan, having the keys, led the group to the cabin. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled them out, sticking the key into the door and turning it. It didn't open. He turned it again. A crack sounded in the air and Marissa gasped.

"You broke the key!" she exclaimed, grabbing the remains of the key from Ryan's hand. "Shit!"

"Fuck," Ryan muttered, throwing his hands over his head. "Could this night get any better?"

"Calm down," Summer demanded, pulling her cell-phone out of her purse. "I have the front desk's number I'm sure they can send us someone to help us." She dialed a number and pressed the phone to her ear. "Hello…? Um, hey, this Summer Roberts calling regards the reservation under Neil Roberts… Yes… Yes, we just got back and we broke the key in the lock… It happens a lot?" She deliberately looked up at Marissa with those last words. "All right. So how long will it take someone to get here...?" She paused. "40 minutes?"

Marissa sighed loudly and banged her fist against the cabin window.

"All right," Summer said into the phone. "We're waiting. Thanks." She flipped her cell-phone closed and looked over at everyone who was now getting comfortable knowing how long they'd have to stay out there.

Ryan sat down against the cabin door, his legs in front of his chest and his eyes fastened shut.

Seth sat down Indian-style in the middle of the ground, listening to his iPod through his earphones.

Marissa lied down on the hood of her car, staring up at the sky.

"Well, it's going to be around an hour till anyone gets here… might as well make the best of it," Summer stated enthusiastically. No one responded. "How bout some go-fish?"

"We don't have cards," Seth said, taking one of his earphones out.

"All right, how bout some truth or dare, no cards needed for that, right?"

Ryan's eye popped open and he looked at her from the corner of his eye. She looked at him hopefully and he saw how much this vacation meant to her. He sighed and sat up.

"I'm in," he declared.

Summer jumped up happily.

"Come on, Coop. You know you want to," she pleaded.

"I'm tired."

"I don't mind a little T or D," Seth replied, turning his iPod off.

"Coop…!" Summer begged one last time.

Marissa sat up with a challenging look in her eyes. She directed it at Ryan. "Fine. Ryan… truth or dare?"

Ryan knew he was screwed either way.

"Dare."

"Kiss Summer."

"What?" Summer exclaimed. "Come on, Marissa. Let's keep it rated PG."

But Ryan and Marissa's eyes were burning into each other.

"Hey, you chose dare," Marissa stated casually. "Kiss her."

Ryan glared at Marissa with gritted teeth and then, without warning, he stood to his feet and walked over to Summer, placing his arm around her waist and crashing his lips against hers. Summer was taken back but placed a hand on the back of his neck to support herself. She opened her lips wide and found Ryan's tongue slithering onto hers and the feverish kiss deepened. Finally, Ryan twirled his tongue one last time against hers before releasing her and leaving her gasping for air she couldn't breathe. His heavy breaths continued to hit against her as she stared at his lips in shock.

"Wow…" she muttered, looking up to meet Ryan's gaze as he looked into her eyes.

Reality came crashing back as a car pulled up to the cabin and a man jogged over to the door and began to remove the broken key from the lock. Once he was done, he walked up to Summer. She straightened out her jacket and smiled at the man, taking the key from him and signing onto a paper.

"Thanks," she whispered, watching as he walked back to his truck.

Marissa created a loud bang by jumping off the car and storming towards Seth, grabbing him by the arm, and dragging him into the cabin.

Before she slammed the door she yelled, "Seth shares a room with me, you figure out what you want to do. Oh, and Summer, I don't recommend the sex, it's not the best." She turned her glare to Ryan. "Believe me." And with that she entered the cabin and shut the door with a piercing slam.

Ryan sighed and stepped away from Summer. "I'm sorry, I was just… not thinking straight."

"It's okay," she replied quietly. "It's fine. I know how pressuring Marissa can be."

Ryan nodded.

"I can sleep on the couch if…"

"No, of course not!" Summer objected. "I shared a bed with Cohen; I so can share a bed with you." She smiled and arched her elbow out for Ryan. Ryan nodded and linked his arm in hers as they walked into the cabin. Everything seemed still and quite. Marissa and Seth's door was fastened shut.

Summer took off her gloves and jacket.

"Hey you want a cocktail? I rock at making cocktails."

"Sure."

Summer smiled and walked towards the kitchen, 10 minutes later she walked back with two, long glass cups. She handed one to Ryan and they both sat on the couch, sipping on their drinks.

"You do rock at making these, how'd you learn?"

"Well, in LA there weren't many things you could do really. So I worked as a bartender for the first 2 years of college…"

"And then…?"

Summer looked away and muttered something that was deliberately incoherent. Ryan narrowed his eyes at her.

Summer groaned. "I worked at hooters!"

Ryan stared at her for a few moments as his smile grew, finally he broke into laughter and received a sharp slap on his arm from Summer.

"Sorry, it's just… cute."

"Yeah, don't get any fantasies about it."

Ryan smirked. "Too late."

Summer snickered and set her drink down. "What did you do?"

"Well, since Seth was away in New York working on his Fine Arts degree, and I was stuck in Newport with Marissa, there was only one place to work…"

"The bait shop," Summer completed. They both started laughing.

"I bet you I could make a cocktail better than this in… 5 minutes."

Summer widened her eyes at him. "Deal!"

Ryan smirked and stood from his spot, making his way to the kitchen. In 4 minutes he was back with cocktails. He handed one to Summer and she drank it up.

He looked at her, waiting for a reaction.

"It's okay…"

"Okay?"

Summer threw her head back and moaned. "Fine! It's heaven! How did you make this?"

"Ryan Atwood's secret recipe."

"Hah!" she scoffed. "Wanna bet I could make the same thing in 3 minutes?"

Ryan shook his head. "We're gonna get drunk…"

"Who cares? We're 23… a few cocktails wont hurt!"

"Hey, you're 22 and 9 months."

"Don't go all technical on me, Atwood," she teased, standing up and yawning. She stretched her arms above her head, making her shirt shift up, revealing the slightest bit of her navel. Ryan felt chills all over his body and forced his eyes away from her body.

"Start counting, 3 minutes!" she demanded.

The night went on like that, every few minutes a new set of cocktails would be delivered until they couldn't stand anymore.

Summer chuckled loudly. "You're right… we're wasted!"

Ryan smirked. "We're 23…"

"22 and 9 months!" Summer corrected.

"Right," Ryan slurred. "9 months…"

"You know it takes 9 months to make a baby?"

"It takes one night to make a baby."

"Right. Unless you use a condom."

"Uha."

Silence took over as they both thought their meaningless conversation over. Then Summer turned to Ryan.

"Do you…have a condom?" she asked.

Ryan turned to look at her and slowly nodded.

Summer nodded and looked away, but seconds later, she looked back at him and got on her knees, crawling on top of him, allowing her eyes to connect with his. Ryan wasn't sure what he was doing, but he slid his hand on her leg, up her thigh, past her hips, and across her back, finally placing it on her neck. He pulled her lips down, feeling her breath against him, making his heart beat faster than he could handle. He kissed her.

Soon their heated kisses weren't enough, clothes were being pulled off, and condoms were being put into use. And it all happened on that couch.

After the intense 'love making' they could barely move or even breathe. But they knew they couldn't stay on that couch. They quickly got themselves dressed before Ryan walked into the bathroom, discarded of the used condom, and walked into the bedroom. They both lied in bed quietly, Summer with her back facing Ryan.

Her breathing was still heavy and ragged, but she wouldn't have taken what she had just done back for the world. The way Ryan had her was the way she had been dreaming and fantasizing of for most of her life.

Ryan's breathing had calmed down, but his heart beats were still going on like crazy. He had never seen a girl so sensual about having sex, even to Marissa, it was just about 'getting it over with', but Summer, Summer knew how to savor every minute of it.

Ryan felt a slight tingling against his chest that made his eyes flutter open. Summer was slowly backing into him, her hair flush against his chest, and her body perfectly arranged with his, like pieces to a puzzle. She extended her hand behind her, softly gripped his hand, and brought it around her waist. Ryan kissed the top of her head and tightened his grip around her body. Their eyes were soon shut and they were in the most peaceful sleep either of them had ever slept. That was until 9:30 am when Marissa came running through their door.

Summer and Ryan jumped from their positions, trying their best to move their bodies away from each other, but the bed sheets were tangled around them, securing them tightly next to each other.

Marissa threw something onto the bed and glared at them. Summer noticed that it was the used condom and cringed.

"You two had SEX!" she exclaimed, widening her eyes at them in disbelief.

Ryan pulled the sheets out from around them and stepped out of bed.

"I can't believe you went through the garbage," he muttered, grabbing his wife beater from the floor and sliding it on his body.

"I can't believe you slept with my best friend! My ex-best friend! God, and… I thought I meant something to you… turns out you're just a whore like the rest of them!"

"Excuse me?" Summer exploded, jumping out of bed in a pair of a matching tank-top and panties.

"You're a liar, Ryan! You're a sick bastard and a LIAR! 'Oh no, Marissa, I only have eyes for you!'"

Ryan grabbed her arm and pulled her into him.

"Yeah, well why the hell did you give me and Summer a room together if you didn't want this to happen? Face it, Marissa! We're tired of each other and you just want this to end just as long as it's my fault! Well, here you go; I slept with your best friend. It's MY fault."

He released her arm and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Soon the slamming of the front door of the cabin was heard as well. Summer shook her head and made to follow him but Marissa stopped her by placing her arm across the door way.

"Where do you think you're going?" she demanded.

Summer pushed past her without a word and grabbed her jacket from the cabin hanger, flinging it onto her almost bare body. She stormed out of the house and trudged over to Ryan who was standing by the car, smoking a cigarette.

"You all right?" she asked him. He looked over at her shivering body and shook his head.

"Summer, get inside, you'll freeze out here."

"I'm fine," she said defiantly. "Listen, if I'm just a reason to break up with Marissa then… you're more of an asshole than I thought you were."

Ryan shook his head. "No, you're not, now would you please get inside?"

"Ryan…!" she exclaimed. "I don't want to go in there, okay? I want to be out here with you."

Ryan dropped his head and took a long drag from his cigarette. Summer grabbed the cigarette and threw it to the ground, stomping it and looking back at him.

"When you kissed me on my head last night…" she began.

"I meant it."

"You meant what?"

"I meant… to kiss you on the head. Cause… I really like you Summer."

"Good," she stated. "Cause I thought you were just in it for the amazing sex – which wasn't as bad as Marissa described it to be." She grinned.

"So what're you saying?" he asked.

Summer stepped up to him and stood on her tip-toes, leaning up to kiss him tenderly. When the kiss broke her lips returned into a state of a smile as her eyes sparkled up at him.

"I'm saying that I really like you too."

Ryan smiled. He leaned in to kiss her again.

They were interrupted by the front door of the cabin flinging open and Marissa and Seth storming out with their hand bags.

"Get in the car, we're cutting the 'vacation' short," Marissa demanded, throwing her bags into the trunk of the car. Seth had already entered into the backseat and begun listening to his music.

"Actually, my dad reserved this place for a week…" Summer said suggestively, looking up at Ryan with a smirk.

Ryan beamed and looked back up at Marissa.

Marissa groaned and flung the driver's door open, entered the car, and slammed the door behind her. The engine started with a loud roar and within seconds the car was out of sight.

Summer laughed. "Wow… I never in a million years thought that would happen."

Ryan grinned. "It feels good."

"To be stranded in a cabin with no car to go home?"

"I guess you're stuck with me forever."

"Like in fairy tales?"

"Exactly."


End file.
